Celeste “The Cat Boss”

At 19 years old, “Celeste” has passed away. Affectionally known as “The Boss” or more popularly by her Instagram handle “Celeste_the_Cat_Boss”, she spent her life doing exactly what she wanted to do: sleeping in her basket behind the desk, getting treats on demand (often ringing a bell to do so), and glaring at the customers as they adored her. Calculating to human years, Celeste lived to be 87.

Celeste was born in Wailua Homesteads in Kapaa, on Opaekaa Road, February 2003. She came into my life because a neighbor knew that I was looking to get a cat but had already given away all the kittens from their cat’s most recent litter. A few days later, I got a call saying that someone returned one of the kittens because it was “too sick” and he offered it to me. This “runt of the litter” was “Celeste”.

Treating her upper respiratory infection by mixing large doses of lysine in her food, her illness was cured and she became a healthy feisty kitten again. I still remember her bouncing sideways when I would approach her, or her running down the hallway and leaping up onto the doorframe, hanging onto it with her claws. She was something else.

She nearly died in the first year of her life. I had switched to “clumping” cat litter and unfortunately her “fun” of digging like crazy in her cat box caused some of the clumping clay granules to get in her paws and then by cleaning herself, that clumping clay swelled up inside her and got stuck in her intestines. She became lethargic, and the next day she wasn’t moving at all. I was watching her die before my eyes. Thanks to some really out-there advice, Celeste was given an enema and thankfully it got the clay out of her body. Suffice to say, she recovered after this… but then became the fat Celeste we all came to know. (See earliest photo)

When Talk Story Bookstore began in 2004, Celeste moved into the store and became “The Boss”. Over the years, she shared the store space with many cats which have come and gone, but Celeste was always there, a fixture of the bookstore. In her life, she must have encountered hundreds of thousands of people, making an impression upon them for better or for worse.

Celeste has had videos made of her, been interviewed on national television shows and social media streams, was a council candidate campaign manager, trended on Reddit with seventeen thousand likes and on Cats of Instagram with one hundred thousand likes, gained three thousand followers on her own Instagram, and was named by Mental Floss dot com as one of the Top Ten Bookstore Cats in the World. No small feat for this “runt of the litter”.

Her likeness and cattitude has been immortalized in book and sticker-form by my wife, Yuriko, in the creation of the “Mochi-Celeste” character, who brings smiles and laughter to people of all ages. Even though Celeste is no longer with us, her spirit lives on through ‘Mochi-Celeste” and in the bookstore itself.

Even though her basket behind the desk sits empty, I still feel her presence there, judging me as I work and run the store. Or when I unlock the store in the morning, I still await her complaining meows to me that she hasn’t been fed yet. I miss her. We both do. She was one-of-a-kind. Celeste had been my ever-present companion, the longest person I have ever had in my life on a continuous basis. She was family. I am grateful she shared her life with us and with all those that met her.

Celeste, you were unique. You will be missed. And remembered.

~ Celeste Justus 2003 – 2022 ~

Ed & Yuriko Justus (Servants)

Meet Our New BOSS “Natalie”

Natalie has now officially been adopted from Kauai Humane Society as the Boss Cat, following the pawsteps of Celeste. (November 6th 2018)

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While Celeste has left a void in the store and our hearts, we are currently fostering adult cats from the Kauai Humane Society, like Natalie here, to give them a better chance at finding a home either on island or in the mainland.

Natalie is 7 years old, smart, loves petting, has the softest fur ever, and was from a single home raised with dogs and children. She is timid at first, but warms up very quickly once she knows she can trust you. Best of all, she can enter Boss Mode, wrapping that amazingly long fluffy tail around her body while she tucks herself in sitting in the floor or a high perch.

Mahalo for your consideration and support!